Playful Office Baby Shower

I found these amusing baby shower pictures from an office party Richard and I catered last October. The hostess, Sheri, has a delightful sense of humor which made it fun to create a "tongue in cheek" menu for the party.

To create a menu that is fun and entertaining, start with a list of dishes that will appeal to a variety of appetites. 

Here are some suggestions for success;
Be sure you consider "good taste," especially in an office setting. Re-naming dishes and select clever serving pieces to reinforce the theme, both are an easy way to have fun with the menu and guests love it.

Here is the menu for Sheri's event if you can use to add some whimsy to your own baby shower!

Playful Office Baby Shower

Menu for 25 guests

Lamaze-gna

creamy spinach lasagna with a plump belly

Brats in a Blanket

sausages wrapped in pastry served with grainy mustard

Baby Greens Salad with Baby Bottle Dressing

candied pecans, raspberries and Mandarin oranges

Conception Eggs with "Swimmer" Garnish

black olives top stuffed eggs 

Savory "Lollipops"

deli meats and cheeses in a wrap, sliced and skewered

Watermelon Baby Carriage

Fruit Salad

Fruit salad in a watermelon baby carriage

"Swimmers" decorated stuffed eggs

Lollipop Pinwheel Deli Skewers

 "Brats in a Blanket", brat sausages wrapped in pastry

 Raspberry Vinaigrette served in a baby bottle

I didn't find the picture of the "Lamazegna" I used the Spinach Lasagne from my recipe in Cook like a Caterer. I added some extra filling in the middle to make it look like it had a "baby bump" giving it a theme name (a play on Lamaze) is fun too. The stuffed eggs recipe, the quantity of fruits needed for the fruit salad and the raspberry vinaigrette are also in the cook book at cooklikeacaterer.com.

Fall Soups and Stews- Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Beautiful fall colors from our apple picking adventure last year

It's hard to decide what season is my favorite to cook in. Winter begs for baking, spring calls for salads and summer barbecue is a must. In Fall making comforting soups and thick hearty stews is what I most look forward to. The desire to whip up a soup must be instinctual because the weather has not actually suggested soup as yet. However with autumns calendar arriving it's good to be prepared.

At the recent cooking class for the nice folks at the Santa Fe Springs Public Library, time allowed for me to teach only three recipes. Narrowing it down was difficult, there are more great choices then cool days to enjoy them in the weeks ahead!

In the end I chose a Mexican Albondigas Soup, small seasoned meatballs in a light broth that can host additional vegetables and even a bit of rice to be a little more filling. Tuscan Chicken White Bean Stew, a delicious thick and healthy crock pot meal that can be made with simple pantry items. Finally Curry Butternut Squash Soup that is creamy rich, velvet smooth and is everything from color to flavor intensely fall.

Creamy, smooth Curry Butternut Squash Soup served in hollowed mini pumpkin.

Today lets explore my favorite Curry Butternut Squash Soup. Why, yes! The recipe serves 32, a "party sized recipe" from my book Cook like a Caterer. It makes a huge pot perfect for entertaining and to fill up the freezer for the cool months ahead. Cutting the recipe in half makes a generous amount, but don't shy away from making it... soup is for sharing!

Curry Butternut Squash Soup

Many first time tasters are surprised that the curry in this recipe is not overwhelming and the color is as delicious as the soup. Curry butternut squash soup is especially nice for a Fall party and is charming served from a mini hallowed pumpkin.

Serves 32

8 tablespoons olive oil

8 cups onions chopped

6 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

8 quarts butternut squash cubed

3½ quarts chicken broth

3 cups heavy cream

1. Heat oil in large pot, add onions. Cover and cook over medium heat until soft, stirring often (about 5 minutes).
2. Add curry powder, ground ginger and ½ teaspoon of cayenne, stir 30 seconds. Add squash and broth, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer until squash is very tender (about 30 minutes).
3. Puree soup in batches, in blender, until smooth.
4. Return to same pot. Stir in cream and add salt, pepper and cayenne to taste.

COOKS NOTE

• Vent blender when pureeing soup to keep steam from building up.
• The soup can be made in advance up to where the cream is added and will freeze well. 
• You can decrease the curry for a milder flavor or substitute pumpkin pie spice if you like.
• Serving in hallowed out mini pumpkins is great for a plated single serving... a larger pumpkin is great on a buffet.

Darling mini pumpkins and gourds make great vessels for soup and to add to your fall decor!